Final answer:
The goal of a community needs assessment plan is to understand a community's conditions, capabilities, and needs. Surveys are a common data collection technique, chosen for their ability to gather quantitative data through closed-ended questions. To prepare an instrument like a questionnaire, one must define a clear research question, design relevant questions, pilot the survey, and choose a representative community sample ethically.
Step-by-step explanation:
Goal and Data Collection Techniques for Community Needs Assessment Plan
The goal of a community needs assessment plan is to systematically gather and analyze information to understand the current conditions, capabilities, and needs within a community. This information helps in making informed decisions about where to target resources and how to address identified gaps or issues. To achieve this, a variety of data collection techniques can be employed, depending on the research question and context.
Surveys are often used to collect quantitative data. They can be particularly effective for answering questions that can be quantified, such as frequency, extent, or rankings of community issues or needs. Surveys gather this type of data by presenting subjects with closed-ended questions like yes-or-no or multiple-choice options, allowing for statistical analysis of responses. However, one must be aware of potential drawbacks, such as survey fatigue or limited responses to complex questions.
To prepare an instrument for data collection, such as a questionnaire, a researcher must first define a clear research question and hypothesis. They should then design the survey with questions that directly relate to the objectives of the study. For example, a community health assessment might include questions about access to medical services, prevalence of certain health conditions, or general lifestyle habits that can affect health. The questionnaire should then be piloted to ensure reliability and validity. Afterward, one would select a representative sample of the community and develop a strategy for administering the survey, keeping ethical considerations in mind.